EXPANDING REUSE
AVAILABILITY WITH AQUIFER
STORAGE AND RECOVERY
MANAGEMENT
July 12th, 2013
Austin, Texas
James Dwyer, P.E. - CH2M HILL
Ed McCarthy, Jr. - JSM&T, LLP
JSM&T Jackson Sjoberg
McCarthy&Townsend LLP
JSM&T
• Texas Reuse Plans and Florida’s
Success
• ASR in Texas
• Texas’ Current Regulatory System
• Moving Texas Forward
• Technical Challenges and Solutions
Overview
2
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TEXAS REUSE PLANS AND
FLORIDA’S SUCCESS
3
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“Nature within the past decade has
inscribed upon the wide-spreading
Texas landscape grim warnings of
greater disasters to come if
development in the State’s water
resources is neglected.”
John Vandertulip, Chief
Engineer, Texas Board of
Water Engineers
May 1961 – Water Plan for
1980
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Projected Water Demands
and Existing Supplies
5
18.0 19.0
19.8 20.5
21.2 22.0
17.0 16.4 16.0 15.6 15.4 15.3
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
20.0
22.0
24.0
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060
Mill
ions o
f acre
-feet
Projected Water Demands Existing Water Supplies
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Reuse as a Source
(2012 Water for Texas)
6
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Reuse as a Source
(2012 Water for Texas)
7
• 915,589 ac-
ft/yr
• 9 x current
supply
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“The reclaimed water shortages experienced in
recent years during the non-rainy season have
placed considerable stress on the reclaimed
distribution system…an ordinance has been passed
to limit lawn watering at these times to three days per
week.” (Pinellas County Utilities, Florida)
… There won’t be enough to go around.
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• Supply is constant; demands peak in summer season
• Large volumes may be necessary to avoid shortages
• Ground storage tanks inadequate for seasonal
storage; expensive
• Uncovered surface impoundments
– high evaporative losses; gross lake evaporation 80 in/yr to
45 in/yr
– algal growth (unsuitable for certain uses due to higher total
suspended solids or create a source of odors)
Challenges for Reuse
Implementation
9
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• Floridians reused 808,640 ac-ft in 2011 (722
million mgd)
• 29 percent of the statewide wastewater produced
• Reuse ASR in Florida since 2008
Florida Out Front
10
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Aquifer Storage and Recovery
11
Injection of surplus water
into an aquifer for
subsequent recovery to
meet future demands
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Low Cost BIG Storage
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Project Cap
(MG) Cost
Unit Cost
($/MG)
Unit Cost
($/ac-ft)
United Water Wilmington, DE 80 $4,526,361 $56,580 $18,435
United Water Toms River, NJ 160 $3,646,235 $22,789 $7,425
City of Beaverton, OR 200 $3,245,710 $16,229 $5,288
Brick Municipal Utility Authority, Brick,
NJ
210 $3,911,723 $18,627 $6,069
Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer
Authority, Okatie, SC
500 $823,875 $1,648 $537
San Antonio Water System, TX 14,662 $31,287,349 $2,134 $695
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ASR IN TEXAS
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Operational Reclaimed Water Injection Well System
Operational Potable System
District
14
UGRA/
Kerrville
Corpus
Christi ASR
District
San Antonio
Water
System
El Paso Water Utilities
Reuse operating
since 1985
1995
(HB1989) 126k af/yr
2005; no asr
systems
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TEXAS’ CURRENT
REGULATORY SYSTEM
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• All ASR Wells Subject to: – Texas Water Code Chapter 27
– TCEQ’s Chapter 331 Underground Injection Control Rules (30
TAC CH 331)
Texas’ Current Regulatory System
16
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• Class V Wells Using ASR subject to
Subchapters: – A - GENERAL PROVISIONS
– H - STANDARDS FOR CLASS V WELLS
– K - ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS V AQUIFER
STORAGE WELLS
30 TAC CH 331 (UIC Rules)
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(a) All Class V aquifer storage wells shall be operated in
such a manner that they do not present a hazard to or
cause pollution of an underground source of drinking
water.
* * *
(e) The quality of water to be injected must meet the
quality criteria prescribed by the commission’s drinking
water standards as provided in Chapter 290 of this title
(relating to Water Hygiene) [30 TAC Ch 290].
Operating Requirements (§331.184)
18
Adopted May 29, 1996 Effective June 28, 1996
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• Regulated based upon the legal characterization
of the water source
• Surface water – State owned water regulated
under Chapter 11, Texas Water Code – Sections 11.153-11.155
• Groundwater – Privately owned, but may be
regulated by local Groundwater District – Chapter 36, Texas Water Code
– Groundwater District’s enabling legislation or organic statute
– Groundwater District’s Rules
ASR Water Sources
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• Supply regulated under same rules, plus: – Chapter 26, Texas Water Code regulating water quality and
wastewater
– TCEQ’s Chapter 305 Consolidated Permits Rules (30 TAC CH
305)
– TCEQ’s Chapter 307 Texas Surface Water Quality Standards
Rules (30 TAC CH 307)
– TCEQ’s Chapter 308 Criteria & Standards for the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination
– System (NPDES) Rules (30 TAC CH 308)
– TCEQ’s Chapter 210 Use of Reclaimed Water Rules
(30 TAC CH 210)
Reuse of Water Supply
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• Texas Water Code §11.154 (c) c) ... The commission shall consider whether:
(1) the introduction of water into the aquifer will alter the physical,
chemical, or biological quality of native groundwater to a degree
that the introduction would:
(A) render groundwater produced from the aquifer harmful or
detrimental to people, animals, vegetation, or property; or
(B) require treatment of the groundwater to a greater extent
than the native groundwater requires before being applied to
that beneficial use;
(2) the water stored in the receiving aquifer can be successfully
harvested from the aquifer for beneficial use; and … .
Protecting Water Quality of
Receiving Aquifer
21
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MOVING TEXAS FORWARD
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• Eliminating “storage” as the limiting factor
• Overcoming the “potable water” criteria
• The Florida “Template”
• HB 3013 – Texas’s “first step” in 2013
ASR as the Future for Enhanced
Reuse of Reclaimed Water
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Class of
Water
Usage
CLASS F-I Potable water use, ground water in a single source aquifer
described in Rule 62-520.460, FAC which has a total dissolved
solids content of less than 3,000 mg/L and was specifically
reclassified as Class F-I by the Commission.
CLASS G-I Potable water use, ground water in single source aquifers which
has a total dissolved solids content of less than 3,000 mg/l\L.
CLASS G-II Potable water use, ground water in aquifers which has a total
dissolved solids content of less than 10,000 mg/l\L, unless
otherwise classified by the Commission.
CLASS G-III Non-potable water use, ground water in unconfined aquifers which
has a total dissolved solids content of 10,000 mg/L or greater; or
which has total dissolved solids of 3,000-10,000 mg/l\L and either
has been reclassified by the Commission as having no reasonable
potential as a future source of drinking water, or has been
designated by the Department as an exempted aquifer pursuant to
Rule 62-528.300(3), FAC
CLASS G-
IV
Non-potable water use, ground water in confined aquifers which
have total dissolved solids content of 10,000 mg/L or greater.
Classification of Ground Water, Usage,
Reclassification (FAC 62-520.410)
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• Representative Lyle Larson – Passed by the House
– Left pending in Senate Natural Resources Committee
• Key “Reuse” Components: – Expedite ASR surface water source permitting
– Amend Chapter 26, Texas Water Code (§26.0271(b)-(c)) to
expressly authorize injection of reclaimed water for ASR
Projects
– Limit groundwater district regulatory authority over ASR Projects
– Encourage ASR Projects, particularly using reclaimed water as
the supply source
HB 3013-“Relating to the underground storage
of water for later retrieval and beneficial use”
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• Rep. Larson refiled HB 3013 as HB 25 during
the 1st Special Session
• Rep. Larson is committed to ASR and the use of
reclaimed water
HB 3013 available at:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=83R&
Bill=HB3013
HB 25 available at:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=831
&Bill=HB25
HB 3013 has a Future
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TECHNICAL CHALLENGES
AND SOLUTIONS
27
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• Competitive unit cost for storage/recovery
capacity
• High levels of nutrients promote biologic activity;
reduced well capacity
• Low O&M (i.e. repumping and backflush
frequency)
• Non-potable storage zones reduce recovery
efficiency
Reuse challenges common to
potable ASR projects
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• Competitive unit cost for storage/recovery
capacity
• High levels of nutrients promote biologic activity;
reduced well capacity
• Low O&M (i.e. repumping and backflush
frequency)
• Non-potable storage zones reduce recovery
efficiency
Reuse challenges common to
potable ASR projects
29
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• Accumulation on borehole
restricts flow;
• Limited recharge rate to 80
percent of maximum
recovery rate
• Max 2 NTUs significantly
reduce backflushing (Type
I, 3 NTU)
• Flocculation chemical over-
spill
Suspended Solids plugging
(screened wells)
30
ASR 17 Injection
Well 17 CY 2 Injection
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ASR 15 Injection
Well 15 CY 2 Injection
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• Reuse ASR projects
often target non-
potable storage zones
• Degrade due to mixing;
affect the use
• Above 300 S/m; 10
mEq/L chloride
unsuitable for most
irrigation
Mixing
33
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• Native groundwater quality
• Background migration velocity
• Residence time
Mixing Factors
34
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Questions
JSM&T Jackson Sjoberg
McCarthy&Townsend LLP